Using the disappointment of a painful away defeat to bounce back has become a recurring theme for Newcastle this season, following defeats against Brentford, West Ham and Marseille in recent months, and Howe said that is not how he wants his team to operate.
But Newcastle have to bounce back quickly once again when the holders of the Howe Trophy take on Fulham in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at St James’ Park on Wednesday.
Captain Bruno Guimaraes acknowledged that Newcastle will not be able to truly “put things right” until the next Tyne-Wear derby in March, calling his team’s performance at the weekend a “disaster”.
Howe said talking off the field was “important,” but the head coach emphasized that it “pales in importance next to your willingness to prepare.”
“Bruno’s comments were 90% right initially,” Howe said. “I don’t think we were a disaster. I don’t think the other parts of his original comments were wrong.
“We weren’t a disaster, we were very well organized. We just didn’t achieve the performance we wanted.”
“Bruno is very emotional and that is part of his success. That is why he is such an outstanding player for us and a leader for us.
“It’s about making sure our messages are right for the outside world. The current mentality is that we can’t affect the past, we can only affect the future. We need to do it today.”
Newcastle will have to do so without influential defender Dan Burn, who will be out for four to six weeks after breaking a rib and punctured a lung in the derby.
